Community Arts Venue Grants

Our Community Arts Venue Grants offer free access to high quality performance spaces and function rooms at Hawthorn Arts Centre and Kew Court House. We encourage members of the Boroondara community who meet the eligibility criteria to apply.

Successful applicants can receive free access to arts facilities and limited staffing for:

performances and art exhibitions
community functions
conferences and meetings
seminars, presentations, training sessions and workshops
large-scale displays and trade exhibitions.

We administer the grant as an annual program with proposed dates to hold events specified throughout the financial year. Applicants can apply for a maximum of two Community Arts Venue Grants in a 24 month period.

Read the Grants Program Guidelines below.

Should you wish to apply for alternative dates, contact Hawthorn Arts Centre or Kew Court House directly.

Apply for the Community Arts Venue Grant-external site

Please note: This grants program was previously titled Cultural Facilities Community Access.

Venues available for community hire

Hawthorn Arts Centre

Kew Court House

Just Theatre

Eligibility criteria for all applicants

1. The applicant is Boroondara-based

For groups and organisations, this means the applicant satisfies at least two of the following three criteria:

They hold their meetings/rehearsals the majority of the time in a venue located within Boroondara.
A minimum of 75% of their members live in the City of Boroondara.
The group's activities deliver clear benefit to the Boroondara community.

For an individual applicant:

The person must be a resident of the City of Boroondara, and
The event, program or exhibition must be of an artistic nature. The activity can involve other contributors who may not be residents.

2. The applicant is not-for-profit

‘Not-for profit’ is classified by the Australian Tax Office in the Income Tax Assessment Act (1936).

3. The applicant holds public liability insurance or an application for such

If the applicant does not hold current and or adequate public liability insurance, Council may be able to insure them under its cover. This will be addressed on a case by case basis.

Additional criteria

For venue-specific criteria, exceptions and information about the selection process read the Grants Program Guidelines.

Other venue hire options

Community members in need of a venue for an event may also wish to consider our options for paid venue hire. We offer a variety of spaces at hourly rates: